Intellicenter best practices for Intellichlor?

[Soupy]

When I installed my Intellicenter with Intellichlor 4 years ago, I did the following:

• Wired the pump breaker (powering an Intelliflo VS) to the "Filter Pump" relay Line In.
• Wired the "Filter Pump" Load to "AUX 3" Line In.
• Connected the Intellichlor transformer to "AUX 3" Load.
• Renamed AUX 3 to Intellichlor.
• Created a pump speed (1200 RPM) for the Intellichlor circuit.

This means that:

• The Intellichlor is only powered when the Pool is on
• The Intellichlor is only powered when the Pump breaker is on.
• I can set a different pump speed for the Intellichlor; I have "Pool" set to 1000 RPM, but bump up to 1200 RPM when Intellichlor is on.
• I can schedule when the Intellichlor is running: At night, so that the chlorine has plenty of time to sanitize before the sun starts eating it.

However, I'm re-evaluating my setup. The Intellicenter manual says to wire the Intellichlor directly to the Filter Pump relay. Is this how people normally do it? Do most people run their Intellichlor 24/7 at low output? I say 24/7 because I normally run my Intelliflo 24/7 at very low speed for filtration.

Basically, what I'm wondering is, how does everyone else set up their Intellicenter and Intellichlor?

 

[Jimrahbe]

Soupy,

There is nothing 'wrong' with what you are doing, I just think it is a waste of effort and a relay..

I run my pump 24/7 and I run my IntelliChlor IC40 24/7.. In fact, I have three pools and they all run the same way.

I am simple, so I like simple..

I like making a little chlorine all the time, and I like skimming all the time. I also like it when there is a little motion in the pool water. I like running my cell at the lowest possible output..

The Cell is connected to the load side of the pump/filter relay.

I run mostly at 1200 RPM, which is way less than $20 bucks a month.

It works best for 'me', you should just do what works best for 'you'.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Newdude]

Running a little hot, 24/7 at low RPMs, kept me from needing to find TFP for 6.5 years. When the SWG died, I found TFP the next day.

I could now manage it several ways blindfolded. But the original way wasn't broke and required the least effort, so it remains my way of choice.

 

[Soupy]

I just think it is a waste of effort and a relay..

This is exactly the kind of feedback I was interested in.

Running a little hot, 24/7 at low RPMs

This too.

Running at low RPM doesn’t let my skimmers work terribly well, so maybe I am better off bumping pump speed up and running everything 24/7.

But since I do like making things needlessly complex, maybe I’ll add a valve controller to my main drain valve. Keep it closed most of the time for better skimmer flow, but open it up when the heater is on. Otherwise the bottom of the deep end gets frosty!

 

[Newdude]

Running at low RPM doesn’t let my skimmers work terribly well, so maybe I am better off bumping pump speed up and running everything 24/7.

My cell turns on at 700 RPMs with dirt simple plumbing. My skimmers work great at 1200. At 110W its so cheap I splurge all the way to 1500 RPM / 220W so the water has more movement for aesthetics.

Find all your sweet spots and run the speed needed as necessary. The higher speed functions such as heating cover the lower speed functions by default.

It doesn't matter when, what, falls into my pool, most of it finds the skimmers. 12+ hours off is a long time for stuff to blow in and get waterlogged and sink to the bottom if you're running a schedule. And Murphys. Guess when it's gonna be windy if the pool is off for a large chunk of time each day ? Yeah.

I've also never wondered if I was filtering enough, in 12 years.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Running at low RPM doesn’t let my skimmers work terribly well

Soupy,

That brings up the question, why is the pump running at all if it is not accomplishing a task?? You should run the pump for a reason.. 1. Chlorine production, 2. skimming, 3. water feature, etc... What is the point of running the pump at 1,000 RPM if it is not doing one of those things???

Do you use hairnets in your skimmers?? I used to think that 1200 RPM was not skimming all that well, until I started using hairnets in the skimmer baskets.. Wow!! It may 'look' like it is not skimming, but the stuff collected in the hairnets tells a very different story.

I assume your skimmers have operating weir doors?? If not, that is your skimmer problem.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Soupy]

What is the point of running the pump at 1,000 RPM if it is not doing one of those things???

Do you use hairnets in your skimmers?? I used to think that 1200 RPM was not skimming all that well, until I started using hairnets in the skimmer baskets.. Wow!! It may 'look' like it is not skimming, but the stuff collected in the hairnets tells a very different story.

I figured that the filter is still filtering, even if the skimming is mediocre? But I guess the point is, it's not filtering very well if it isn't skimming. And then I start to rely on the Polaris to pick up all the Crud that sinks to the bottom. You also have a fair point about the skimmer baskets by themselves not telling the complete story; maybe I should try out skimmer nets just to see what I capture. Maybe do a little experiment with/without the nets, and at different pump speeds.

With that said, I have a 36" sand filter, and upgraded to that (partially) because I wanted to reduce maintenance. If I have to check my skimmers more often, that defeats the purpose.

 

[Newdude]

But I guess the point is, it's not filtering very well if it isn't skimming

If water is flowing, it's being filtered. More flow puts more volume through the filter but it also causes more mixing so its questionable if it helps or hurts more.

And then I start to rely on the Polaris to pick up all the Crud that sinks to the bottom

The amount of time the pump is off is the main factor here IMO. Once crud sinks, it's not going to be pulled off the floor, or even up 2 feet if it's floating, and then skimmed.

With that said, I have a 36" sand filter, and upgraded to that (partially) because I wanted to reduce maintenance. If I have to check my skimmers more often, that defeats the purpose.

Apples and oranges. The skimmers stop large debris from getting to the filter. A bigger filter is irrelevant for leaves and such as they will clog the skimmers either way.

Hairnets will stop a lot of the fine crud from getting to the filter, greatly extending the backwash intervals.

The caveat is you are replacing the hairnets often instead of backwashing. It's your choice if you'd rather have little cleans more often with the hairnets, or backwash (takes longer but less often).